In Which the Silent Speak
by Hain degistirildi
Summary: The alien has left Lillian and things are getting back to normal. Joe is still having a hard time coping with what has happened, but his friends are determined to end his suffering. T/M for language use.


**A/N This is post alien attack and almost everything is back to normal. I've also taken the liberty of making the relationship between Joe and his Dad still broken because I don't think everything would just turn around immediately. Also here is my warning for people who don't like cursing or the use of the word God/Jesus in an angry context. There is one use of the f word and two of God/Jesus and that's all I can remember right now. Please review on your way out so I can improve my writing and help this fandom grow! All errors are my own and I apologize in advance. I'm not the best at editing my own work and I always get nervous trying to find a Beta.**

I pedal harder as I reach the hill. I was supposed to meet everyone at the diner fifteen minutes ago but obviously that didn't happen. I couldn't find the Arabian Gold paint I needed to finish my latest model so after searching for a while I gave up and used Yellow Gold. Then I had to feed Lucy. The poor dog must have been starving out of her mind. Once I start making a model I find it's hard to stop and I hadn't realized I never fed her breakfast.

Finally, my destination is in sight. I see the group all sitting at our normal table. It looks like Cary and Charles are arguing again. They use large hand motions and eventually Cary throws a fry at Charles' head. I walk in quietly after resting my bike on a rack outside. They don't notice me come in, caught up in the heat of the argument. Now Martin is talking but I'm still too far away to make out what he's mumbling, but he looks pretty distressed. Maybe his goldfish died again. Cary answers loud as always.

"His Mom just died, he doesn't get along with his Dad and he was attacked by a fucking alien! Jesus Smartin, why do you think he would be depressed?"

"God Cary, you don't have to be so mean about it." I cough a little and everyone looks up. Silence. If it wasn't painfully clear before it is now, I was the one they were arguing about.

"Hi, Joe." Alice says, breaking the silence. She speaks in a whisper, she knows I know and is upset.

"What's going on?" I ask directed towards the group. Silence again.

"Joe, do you ever have problems concerning concentrating, fatigue and decreased energy, feelings of guilt, worthlessness, pessimism, insomnia, loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex, appetite loss, thoughts of suicide, or suicide attempts? If so you may be depressed and we wanted to let you know that we are here for you and we want to help you." Preston finished in one breath. Charles punched him on the arm.

"Whoa, wait, what? You guys think I'm depressed? I'm fine. I promise." I manage to stutter out.

"You just haven't been yourself lately Joe." Martin said.

"Yes, and you do show common signs. I think going after a man eating alien counts as suicidal." Preston continued.

"Dude, my parents are worried about you and my parents didn't even worry last time I set off a sparkler bomb in the living room!" Cary chimed in.

"I've been upset, yes, but not depressed. A lot of things have happened lately, and I just have to figure out how to deal with them."

"Maybe you should try talking about it. It always helps me after a bad day. Then my mom makes me a cup of warm milk and sings a song." Noted Martin.

Alice, who is starting to figure out exactly how our group works, realized it was about time for Cary to say something degrading about Martin's Mom, causing a whole different fight. She grabs a handful of fries and stuffs them into his mouth so he only managed, "Awww, that's wha- ahhf." He glares daggers at her for a moment but remains silent.

"No, I'm fine really. Have you guys ordered anything else yet?" I ask in hopes of changing the subject as I take a seat next to Alice. Charles sighs and looks me straight in the eyes.

"Listen Lamb, I know you're one of the suffer in silence types but this has got to end at some point. The point is now, Joe. If you don't start talking we won't let you order anything."

"That threat would only work for you, fatty." Cary snorts.

"Fine, if I start talking will you all just leave it alone?" There is no way out of it at this point. I've learned to pick my battles.

A course of, "Yes!" sprang from the group.

"So, I'm not sure what to say. I guess things have been different at home. My Dad works a lot so I just sort of do what I want. I miss my Mom an-and I know my Dad misses her too but he just doesn't know how to show it. I know when he yells that he doesn't mean it, he's just really sad. Maybe it's because I remind him of her, only I will never be her so I-I'm not good enough. It doesn't matter though; everything is going to be fine. She was just so wonderful. She kept us all together when the worst things happened. My Mom, I really loved her, how she really cared about what was happening and I just don't know how to let her go. I'm learning though and it started with the locket.

Then the alien happened. I'm glad it got home and I'm glad we were there to help it. If we weren't then I'm not sure we'd be here today. When it grabbed me, I was so scared but then I felt it and it was feeling worse than I was so I realized I had to help him because no one else might get close enough to. There, the end is everyone happy now?"

I hadn't planned on saying all that, it just sort of happened. I'm ashamed I told them about my family. I should have been stronger, it's nothing I can't handle and now they probably are going to treat me like a charity case. I finally look up because I can't stand to stare at the table anymore. Alice is biting her lip, Cary's mouth is actually open and not forming words, Charles looks shocked but it's hard to tell for sure. Preston looks like he's a shrink, a soft expression and hands folded neatly on the table, Martin, is muttering about something in his eye as he rubs it with his sleeve. I start to stand to leave, I can't do this.

"Wait, there is something else. I know there is." Alice says. She carefully places her hand on my forearm and pulls me back into the booth. She's right and we both know it. There is something else, something that I _really_ didn't want to talk about. It's one of those things when you know you've done something wrong and you know you deserve all the guilt you have for it.

"Joe, please. I know what you're thinking and it's not your fault, just try to talk about it."

"Alice don't pretend otherwise, we both know that if I just had tried a little harder, done something a little different they might be here right now."

"Someone needs to explain what happened." Preston says calm as ever. Alice begins, but I stop her. She'll probably end up turning me into some kind of hero which is the last thing I want. It's the exact opposite of what I deserve so I tell it how it really happened.

"It was right after Cary and I saved Alice. We were still in the nest and we found the Sheriff and that other girl who went missing. I never knew her well but I think her name was Cathy. Anyways, Cary set off this explosion to distract the alien so I tried to grab Alice and tried to get out of there even though I saw all of these people from our town just hanging there, waiting to get eaten. I could have told Alice where to go and she would have found Cary and made it out eventually. I could have stayed and at least tried to help the people but I didn't. I left them there. Once we started running though we met the Sheriff and Cathy. I knew how to get out but the Sheriff insisted we went another way. I only argued once and then we set off. It was only a couple minutes later when the alien came and ate them both. Finally, we found our way back to the exit and got out after we convinced the alien that he could go home and no one would stop him. Then we left without a second thought to everyone else down there. The nest was destroyed later, partly by the air force and partly by the alien take off. They all died because I was too selfish to try to help them."

Then Alice cut in,"Joe, it doesn't matter what you did. Most of them were already dead anyways. I was there, I know. You tried to talk to the Sheriff but he insisted, there was no way he was going to listen to you. Besides, you trusted his judgment like we have been taught to. He was an adult and trained to work in emergencies. What happened can't be blamed on anyone, especially you. It's a miracle in itself that you managed to get all three of us out of there alive. Anymore people might have attracted attention and got us killed. Do you think your Dad can handle any more pain right now? Despite what you think, he does love you and he's proud of you no matter what he says. You can't blame yourself for something you couldn't control. No one blames you, the people who witnessed the creature wouldn't have dared to follow it. What you did was courageous and I think someday you will be proud of what you did."

Preston gave an encouraging smile, "Isn't that better? You know that we would be lost without you right? I hope everyone here as learned from this experience and I believe we are all closer because of it."

Cary was back to his energetic self, " Hey, hey, hey Preston, hey, hey, hey guess what, Preston, hey man, hey, hey, hey, hey!"

"What?"

"Screw you Dr. Preston."

"Jeeze, sorry for trying to be helpful."

"Read my lips, no one cares! You are full of cheesiness!"

"Oh and Preston, loss of interest in sex? Really, I'm fifteen." I interrupt.

With all of the commotion going on no one notices Alice snake her hand towards mine and intertwine our fingers. Things are going to be hard, but possibly, I'll be able to learn from everything that's happened when it doesn't hurt so much.

**A/N Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. If you didn't get Cary's insult towards Preston at the end it's just him telling Preston that he is really smart but very cheesy, Review please!**

**Disclaimer- Not mine! However I do wish I was part of the movie or owned part of it but I don't. D : Also, check out the music video Titanium, it stars Ryan Lee if you haven't seen it already!**


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